ABSTRACT

Tile Tragicall Historye of Romeus and Juliet 339 The chefest cause, that she, unknowne to father or mother, Not five monthes past in that selfe place was wedded to another. An other while an hugy heape of daungers drcd, His rcstles thought hath heaped up, within his troubled bed. Even of it selfe thattempt he judgeth perilous, The execucion eke he demes so much more daungerous, That to a womans grace he must himselfe commit, That yong is, simple, and unware, for waighty affaires unfit, For if she fayle in ought, the matter published, Both she and Romeus were undonne, himselfe eke punished. 2060 When too and fro in mynde he dyvers thoughts had cast, With tender pity and with ruth his hart was wonne at last. He thought he rather would in hasard set his fame, Then suffer such adultery. Resolving on the same, Out of his closet straight, he tooke a litele glasse, And then with double hast retornde where wofull Juliet was; Whom he hath found welnigh in traunce, scarce drawing breath, Attending still to heare the newes of lyfe or els of death. Of whom he did enquire of the appointed day. On Wensday next, (quod Juliet) so doth my father say: 2070 I must geve my consent, but (as I do remember) The solemne day of mariage is, the tenth day of September. Deere daughter, quoth the fryer, of good chere see thou be, For Joe, sainct Frauncis of his grace hath shewde a way to me, By which I may both thee, and Romeus together, Out of the bondage which you feare assuredly deliver. Even from the holy font thy husband have I knowne, And, since he grew in yeres, have kept his counsels as myne ownc. For from his youth he would unfold to me his hart, And often have I cured him, of anguish and of smart; ~w8o I know that by desert his frendship I have wonne, And I him holde as dere, as if he were my propre sonne, Wherfore my frendly hart, can not abyde that he Should wrongfully in ought be harmde, if that it lay in me To right or to revenge the wrong by my advise, Or timely to prevent the same in any other wise. And sith thou art his wife, thee am I bound to love, For Romeus frindships sake, and seeke thy anguishe to remove, And dreadfull torments which thy hart besegen rounde, Wherfore, my daughter, geve good eare, unto my counsels

sounde. 2090 Forget not what I say, ne tell it any wight, Not to th~ nurce thou trustest so, as Rom~us is thy knight,